ITB Asia 2019, the biggest gathering of travel trade professionals, is back in Singapore for its twelfth year. The event will take place in Marina Bay Sands on 16-18 October.
ITB Asia is the premier meeting place for the travel trade industry. Here are some of the reasons why you should attend this year’s event.
Stellar line-up
This year’s event will feature keynote sessions from noted players in the travel industry such as Bedbank, Hotelbeds Group, Booking.com, Expedia, IBM, KAYAK, OYO Hotels & Homes, TripAdvisor, Tujia and more.
The sessions will focus on sharing innovative ideas, where attendees can expect to gain knowledge of practical applications to keep pace with industry changes. Recognising the revolutionary impact of technology on the travel industry, speakers from leading online travel agencies (OTA), travel-related partners and technology companies will share their perspectives on how businesses can innovate and leverage on technology as they tackle the challenges of this era.
Aside from the keynote sessions, ITB Asia 2019’s conference will also deliver a series of themed sessions, including Corporate Travel, Destination Marketing, Muslim Travel and Travel Technology where attendees will have the opportunity to experience over 200 sessions led by more than 260 speakers. Alongside this event, attendees will get to hear about forecasts for the global meeting and events industries in 2020, and how the industry is transforming at MICE Show Asia.
Focus on new trends
ITB Asia is always at the forefront of the issues in the travel industry. It has been the goal of ITB to inform companies of the latest trends in the space to future-proof their businesses.
“As the largest travel trade show in the Asia Pacific, ITB Asia will cover major themes and trends shaping the future of travel, including pressing and pertinent issues such as geopolitics and corporate development. More importantly, attendees can expect to walk away from the show with added knowledge on the practical applications the need to keep pace with these rapid changes affecting the industry,” Katrina Leung, managing director of Messe Berlin (Singapore).
First-ever MICE Show Asia
For the first time this year, ITB Asia will be organizing the inaugural MICE Show Asia 2019, which will focus on Asia Pacific’s burgeoning MICE sector. Highlight topics that will be discussed during MICE Show Asia include 2020 forecasts for the global meeting and events and the digital transformation of the meeting and events industries.
The MICE Show Asia’s conferences will feature a stellar line-up of speakers from top-tier brands including American Express Meetings & Events, Group GmbH and Cvent. Some of the topics that will be discussed at the travel trade show include 2020 forecasts for the global meeting and events industries, the digital transformation of the meeting and events industries, and the innovative use of technology to captivate event-attendees.
Buyers Elite Partner Programme (BEPP)
ITB Asia has also introduced a new Buyers Elite Partner Programme (BEPP) this year. Under this new initiative, every partner that recommends 15 successful buyers to attend the show will be able to receive complimentary hosting by ITB Asia.
By building on the success of past years’ connections as well as the launch of the BEPP, ITB Asia 2019 has already seen a 35% increase in approved buyers. This includes a boost in MICE buyers, as well as an increase in buyers from high-growth markets such as Southeast Asia, China and India.
“As the largest travel trade show in the Asia Pacific, ITB Asia endeavours to provide a platform for which they can gather to establish high-quality contacts and conduct business. With the industry showing strong signs of growth, delegates can expect to hear from experts on how to capitalise on this growth to make informed decisions for their businesses. Not forgetting, with our expanded show floors and the launch of MICE Show Asia this year, participants can expect to leave with tangible takeaways and expert insights gleaned, as well as establish high-quality contacts and conduct business with more buyers and exhibitors across the full spectrum of the travel industry,” Leung said.
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